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3.51 AVERAGE
3.51 AVERAGE
Wanders, self-serving; cheap characterizations and superficial research.
We're truly on a roll for Good Book Club Picks. This one FLEW; truly a great end of summer pick.
dark
informative
Wow!! I could not put this down! This is well researched and written. I will read many more books by this author!!!
This book was quite interesting though it could have used some serious paring down. Maybe 100ish fewer pages could have conveyed the same info in a less repetitive fashion.
I knew about this story previously, but this book goes into greater detail. While there are no definitive answers to many of the questions asked within, there is interesting speculation to go along with what we can easily see is often-conflicting information and details about the cases under discussion.
I knew about this story previously, but this book goes into greater detail. While there are no definitive answers to many of the questions asked within, there is interesting speculation to go along with what we can easily see is often-conflicting information and details about the cases under discussion.
This book was 50% too long. All the important details are in the first half and the rest was just drawn out details of the family’s legal process that was quite boring. I learned a lot of interesting background details that helped contextualize the case but I was left feeling just as confused about what actually happened as when I started. Solid 3.5 stars.
This book just goes to show all the investigative TV shows don't tell you everything, this books delves so much more into everything that happened as well as the people involved in both tragedies that occurred at Spreckels Mansion.
This book steps you through the lead up and aftermath of Rebecca and Max's deaths as well as the many layers and different turns the lives and investigation took which actually left me going from confident in regards to what I thought occurred from watching shows to feeling conflicted about almost everyone especially Rebecca after learning so much more about her past which is complex, along with Adam and how he acted then and since, then we have how the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department acted then and now which infuriated me.
This is definitely a book where you can get the honest and hard facts that have been meticulously gathered and laid out for you to draw you own conclusion on, you are not swayed one way or the other into what is believed to have happened it is up to you. I also felt when added in the personal connection that the author has to the subject it gives everything a more personal feel and depth to it that makes you take note of actions and information so much more.
This book steps you through the lead up and aftermath of Rebecca and Max's deaths as well as the many layers and different turns the lives and investigation took which actually left me going from confident in regards to what I thought occurred from watching shows to feeling conflicted about almost everyone especially Rebecca after learning so much more about her past which is complex, along with Adam and how he acted then and since, then we have how the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department acted then and now which infuriated me.
This is definitely a book where you can get the honest and hard facts that have been meticulously gathered and laid out for you to draw you own conclusion on, you are not swayed one way or the other into what is believed to have happened it is up to you. I also felt when added in the personal connection that the author has to the subject it gives everything a more personal feel and depth to it that makes you take note of actions and information so much more.
What an excellent and thorough book on the crazy true crime story.
Highly recommend.
Highly recommend.
A solid three stars, mainly because it felt a little amateur in terms of writing/proofreading, but maybe only someone like me, an editor/proofreader, would even notice.
Regardless, after reading this book, I have even more questions than answers. The author really seemed to "debunk" the fact that Rebecca's family was adamant that she would never commit suicide, as a Christian. However, from what the author presented in this book, it seems she was not a practicing Christian but her family certainly wanted her portrayed in that regard in previous interviews I've seen with them.
So basically, this case comes down to the question of suicide or murder. And for me, I find it odd that conveniently one HUGE bit of information has been left out of every report on this case, including this book: Rebecca's cause of death.
The author here mentions "cause of death" but what she meant, and what it should have said in the book, was "manner of death" (suicide vs. homicide). If we knew if Rebecca was actually dead BEFORE she was thrown over the balcony, then that would have to be a homicide. If she in fact died as a result of being thrown over the balcony, it COULD be suicide. But this information—the actual cause of death—is missing from all reports I've ever seen on this case.
So then I have to ask WHY this information is missing. Because someone paid to have it redacted? And if someone paid to have it redacted, why would they? The only explanation is to protect someone. And who has the means to pay the police/investigators/ME off? Well... you know the answer.
So we come back to the original theory: Rebecca was murdered.
Regardless, after reading this book, I have even more questions than answers. The author really seemed to "debunk" the fact that Rebecca's family was adamant that she would never commit suicide, as a Christian. However, from what the author presented in this book, it seems she was not a practicing Christian but her family certainly wanted her portrayed in that regard in previous interviews I've seen with them.
So basically, this case comes down to the question of suicide or murder. And for me, I find it odd that conveniently one HUGE bit of information has been left out of every report on this case, including this book: Rebecca's cause of death.
The author here mentions "cause of death" but what she meant, and what it should have said in the book, was "manner of death" (suicide vs. homicide). If we knew if Rebecca was actually dead BEFORE she was thrown over the balcony, then that would have to be a homicide. If she in fact died as a result of being thrown over the balcony, it COULD be suicide. But this information—the actual cause of death—is missing from all reports I've ever seen on this case.
So then I have to ask WHY this information is missing. Because someone paid to have it redacted? And if someone paid to have it redacted, why would they? The only explanation is to protect someone. And who has the means to pay the police/investigators/ME off? Well... you know the answer.
So we come back to the original theory: Rebecca was murdered.